Watershed

by David Rees

Book by Rees, David

Genres: Gay, Fiction

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

David Rees was born in London in 1936, but lived most of his adult life in Devon, where for many years he taught English Literature at Exeter University and at California State University, San Jose. In 1984, he took early retirement in order to write full-time. Author of forty-two books, he is best known for his children's novel The Exeter Blitz, which in 1978 was awarded the Carnegie Medal (UK), and The Milkman's On His Way, which, having survived much absurd controversy in Parliament, is now regarded as something of a gay classic. He also won The Other Award (UK) for his historical novel The Green Bough of Liberty. David Rees died in 1993.

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet, touching gay love story. It is one of Rees' better novels. I am surprised that nearly all Rees' works have gone out of print. I can't think of another writer that does this kind of thing so well. As in most of Rees' best work, the setting is historical: 1956, London. The Hungarian Revolution of that year is the background that the characters are thinking and talking about. It is a fitting metaphor for what is going on in David and Nick's life that evening in 1956. And like many of Rees' best works, nature makes a dramatic appearance. The characters in Watershed are well drawn, their the sense of time and place and especially the morality of that time and place are skillfully depicted. There is a love scene near the end of the novel which captures the longing, sense of discovery, and tenderness of the inception of a sexual relationship long dreamed of but not before manifested for these characters. I do highly recommend tracking down a copy. Not a classic, but certainly an equal to some of Rees' best work.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a touch of Beat-ness to it that was nice.

[Matthew Mckenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for those uncomfortable with men questioning their sexuality...